


can’t ask too much

by orro



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 09:07:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9172558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orro/pseuds/orro
Summary: Yakov should have known something was up far before Victor bought his plane ticket to Japan when he started asking questions about how he chose the hotels for the skaters and what would happen if there was a mistake with the song selection. Victor didn’t pay attention to small details like that; he was too busy being the legendary skater. It was Yakov’s job as his coach to attend to the boring affairs so Victor could focus on winning gold.





	

 

Victor took a drink of water from his bottle and watched as Yuri made a flawless quadruple Salchow. The thought of being a coach had flittered through Victor’s mind before. Yuuri Katsuki was not the first person who had made comments to that effect though he was the first to ask so bold, drunk, and assured.

 

Victor’s had a hand in helping out with young Yuri Plisetsky when Yuri deigned to listen to his advice and that’s as close as he has come to coaching. He was more than aware that Yuri was being heralded as his successor and fans enjoyed seeing photos of them training and talking together.

 

Victor would never take away credit from Yakov, who has suffered the boy so much that he deserved all of the accolades and more. But he could see the appeal in helping someone grow and flourish. He’s never shied away from helping those who asked but no one has asked to keep him around as a coach. Just simple questions with quick answers because of course they can’t ask too much of the living legend. 

 

He could never be Yuri’s coach because he was Yakov’s student. Really, he couldn’t be anyone’s coach under that logic, because most of the people he knew already had an instructor. Even Yuuri Katsuki had a coach already so that question was probably just a drunken ramble that Victor should ignore. 

 

He has never been good at following conventional wisdom though. But mostly, the more he thought about it, the more coaching sounded like a fantastic idea. He could guide a new era in, push them forward in a way he couldn’t through skating alone. Because when Victor skated, people lost to his win, and he’s felt that sting before. It’s the furthest feeling from progress he can think up. 

 

But he could coach multiple students like Yakov and help them reach the podium of their dreams. And with multiple students comes the fact that not all of them would get to first place. Victor has been skating alongside Georgi for years. (He’s aware enough to chide himself for the remark but not enough to be truly apologetic.) 

 

Victor took another drink and set it down. Daydreaming was all well and good but he had Nationals to win. He could think about coaching Yuuri Katsuki after he got gold and before he had to compete in the European Championship. Victor settled for rewatching some of the banquet videos when he finished up practice. It would have to do for now. 

 

#

 

“Why did you pick this hotel, Yakov?” Victor asked, looking around as Yakov checked them both in. They’ve been to this particular one every time Victor competed in Nationals when they’re held in St Petersburg. It was a familiar place by now and he wasn’t complaining, for they’ve been to worse hotels. But he wanted to know what made Yakov pick this one over all the rest. 

 

“Don’t complain, Victor,” Yakov said in a short tone. 

 

“I’m not,” Victor said, a little miffed. He’d worked very hard to not sound like he was complaining. “I’m curious.” 

 

“What for?” Yakov asked, surprise evident.

 

“Curiosity,” Victor said with what he intended to be a mysterious smile but probably came out more smug. Yakov had that effect on him. 

 

Yakov grunted at him and said nothing more. He was going to leave it at that but Victor made a whining noise. 

 

“Yakov,” he said, making sure to elongate the last syllable precisely how Yakov hated. “Come on, tell me.” 

 

“Victor, be quiet,” Yakov snapped. 

 

Victor pitched his whine a little higher. 

 

“Fine,” Yakov said. His face was dark with his trademark soul searing scowl and the hand gripping his rolling suitcase was white at the knuckles. Victor was in dangerous territory here. “It’s close to the arena. There’s less chance of you slipping away to cause trouble. Now shut up and focus on winning.” 

 

“You’re so good to me,” Victor said with a dazzling smile that was utterly wasted on Yakov. But he did stop talking because now he had something to think about. 

 

Yuuri didn’t seem like the type to run off and do something ridiculous before a competition. After, of course, there might be issues. But Victor was sure that he’d be more focused before. He’s also older, not a young little thing like Yuri, who was prone to getting involved in shenanigans, especially those that involved his fans. Victor wondered at the girls who call themselves Yuri’s Angels and he’s fairly certain that when he was Yuri’s age, his fans weren’t like that. 

 

Victor glanced around because cost is a factor too, and while he’s got more gold medals and prize money than the average skater, Yuuri Katsuki was not quite there yet. It’s a fine hotel, enough that no one will have any complaints.

 

Then Victor saw the other skaters also checking in and wondered if this hotel is actually required for them to stay in. Maybe there was a deal with the venue, maybe it was part of the ISU, or maybe it was even just the way things have always been done. He’s kind of ashamed that he hasn’t a clue as to if that’s the case or not. Yakov has taken care of everything for him since he began skating. Victor turned to him but then said nothing.

 

Asking too many questions would definitely raise Yakov’s suspicions. Yakov didn’t need to know and now that Victor thought about it, he’s not entirely sure Yakov answered him truthfully. Not that Yakov maliciously lies to him but Victor can be annoying when he put his mind to it. Yakov spoiled him entirely too much at times; he supposed that’s one of the benefits of being a living legend.

 

Yakov wasn’t wrong though because Victor does have to focus on getting gold at [the European Championships. It was probably conceited to say that he wasn’t too worried out loud though. But it was true. 

 

#

 

“Where are you going?” Victor asked Yakov. 

 

“What are you doing?” Yakov asked because there are a dozen things Victor could be doing that didn’t involve bothering him. Usually Victor was off finding a fellow skater to chit chat with like Christophe or he had gotten into an impromptu photo shoot with a reporter. He was honestly not sure which he preferred since Christophe had a tendency to escalate matters and Victor was only too happy to encourage it.

 

“I asked first,” Victor said with the charming smile that meant he was fully aware he was being annoying. He tapped his finger against his chin in what he probably thought was an adorable gesture.

 

“What are you doing?” Yakov repeated, hoping Victor understood how little patience Yakov had right now for his idiocies.

 

Victor was a genius but he was a moron too. And no one knew that better than Yakov did. Aside from his parents Yakov was the person who knew Victor best in the world. He’s seen the selfish bastard grow up from snot nosed brat to skating legend but through it all, Victor has remained just as annoying at twenty-seven as he was at seven. 

 

“I thought talking to my wonderful coach could get my mind off the competition. It’s so stressful, you know, and I’d like to not think about it for a little bit,” Victor said, lying through his teeth with a bright, ridiculous grin. He had to be stupid if he thought that Yakov would fall for that one. 

 

But Victor was about to defend his World title. He’s won four years in a row and tomorrow could be his fifth consecutive win. There might be some truth hidden behind his words. Yakov looked him over, saw no uncommon signs that Victor was uneasy, but his stern glare mollified a bit.

 

“I’m taking the program music to the sound technicians,” Yakov said, holding up two CDs. 

 

“Can’t you email the songs?” Victor asked as he fell in step with him. 

 

Yakov snorted at him. He’s heard horror stories from other coaches about the technicians not getting the music in time. He’ll do things his way as long as they keep working. He’s old, he has earned the right to be dismissive of new electronics. 

 

It’s mostly just what he’s used to and old habits die hard. He liked his smartphone and crushing candies as much as the next old geezer. But it’s a routine and there’s definitely a satisfaction in being able to hand a physical disc to the people who will be working the sound. He can get a good look at their face in case something goes wrong. 

 

“I feel better handing it to them,” Yakov said. 

 

“And if they break the discs? I really am surprised. It seems like it would be safer to email them.” 

 

“I have backups,” Yakov said. 

 

“How intelligent of you,” Victor said and he meant it, but Yakov still felt insulted. 

 

“I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive,” he snapped. 

 

“Wow,” Victor said and Yakov grit his teeth. “Uh-oh. Should I leave?” 

 

“Good idea,” Yakov said. 

 

“Okay. Thanks, Yakov!” Victor said with a cheery wave. 

 

Somehow, that seemed to have cheered Victor up, and Yakov heaved a great sigh. Maybe he needed a break from coaching geniuses. They’re always ridiculous. 

 

#

 

Victor had just enough time to wind down from winning Worlds when life swept him up in the form of a viral video. Yuuri’s video was a reminder that he had a promise to fulfill. 

 

He looked away from rewatching Yuuri’s video (he was on rewatch number 21, and yes, he was keeping a mental count) to his other tabs. There were five open, all of them having to do with how to become a figure skating coach. Most of them were geared for parents but Victor had bookmarked them all anyway. 

 

He was a little scared to go back through his bookmarks. They were a disaster by now and he’s pretty sure he’s amassed more than a hundred. There were probably only ten sites that were actually useful in that folder but better safe than sorry. 

 

“Makkachin, I hope Yakov doesn’t kill me,” he said cheerily as he searched for airports in Japan. 

 

He wanted to thank Yakov for his unintentional help with coaching. And ideally he’d thank little Yuri for the test run in coaching as well but he was pretty sure Yuri doesn’t care. His eyes were focused only on his senior debut and he had no time for the glories of the past. It would be more inspiring if it wasn’t Victor’s legacy that Yuri was trying to rip down. But he could still admire that tenacity and fire; it’s been years since he’s felt the same and he had no qualms admitting to himself that he was a little envious of Yuri’s fighting spirit. 

 

“Ah, I should probably give Yakov some warning,” Victor said, biting his lip. There was his contract too, but Victor usually just signed it and let Yakov deal with it. Yakov really had been good to him. 

 

Victor clicked to purchase his ticket then pulled out his phone to text Yakov. A phone call would be better but he had a lot of packing to do. 

 

#

 

The airport noise was background to the rage beating inside of Yakov. He should have known something was up far when Victor started asking questions about his job. It’d started with small queries, enough that Yakov had brushed them off as part of Victor’s eccentricities. He was a genius, he was allowed to be odd, and Victor had abused that knowledge quite thoroughly. 

 

That should have been his first clue. If he’d been more vigilant, he could have stopped Victor from ever even looking up airline prices to Japan.

 

Because Victor didn’t pay attention to small details like hotels and airplane tickets. He was too busy being the legendary skater Victor Nikiforov. It was Yakov’s job as his coach to attend to the boring and mundane affairs of competitions so Victor could focus on winning gold.

 

Also, he was pretty sure Victor couldn’t grasp the concept of paperwork, let alone the sheer bulk of work needed to keep figure skaters competitive. He’s also shocked Victor managed to buy a plane ticket all on his own. But then, surprising people has always been Victor’s raison d'être.

 

Yakov considered his age and prison. He looked at the calendar on his phone and thought about the distance between Japan and Russia. It might be worth it so he could have the satisfaction of wringing Victor’s neck. 

 

But Yuri, Mila, and Georgi don’t deserve to have their coach embroiled in legal issues and an international murder case. Yakov glared at the departing plane. It was a shame but Yakov was an adult with responsibilities that he would respect, unlike certain bastard students who deserved to get their knees kicked in.

 

#

 

_ “Come visit me in Japan, Yakov!” _

**Author's Note:**

> So, I don't know anything about figure skating. I'm learning a lot though. But if I get anything wrong, feel free to let me know. Thanks for reading!


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